Power circuit
First Claim
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1. A circuit for driving a power transistor having a control electrode and a load path, the circuit comprising:
- a driver circuit configured to drive the power transistor via a control signal supplied to the control electrode so as to control the on and off state of the power transistor; and
a series circuit comprising a semiconductor switching element and a capacitor, the series circuit being coupled in parallel with the load path and the capacitor providing a supply voltage to the driver circuit,wherein the driver circuit, when the supply voltage falls below a first threshold value, is configured to drive the power transistor via the control signal to create a voltage drop across the load path of the power transistor which is higher than the first threshold value, wherein the first threshold value is greater than a minimum value of the supply voltage required for proper operation of the driver circuit.
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Abstract
A power circuit. One embodiment provides a circuit for driving a power transistor having a control electrode and a load path. The circuit includes a driver circuit configured to change the power transistor to a completely on or off state with the aid of a control signal supplied to the control electrode. A series circuit includes a semiconductor switching element and a capacitor. The series circuit is connected in parallel with the load path and the capacitor provides a supply voltage for the driver circuit.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A circuit for driving a power transistor having a control electrode and a load path, the circuit comprising:
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a driver circuit configured to drive the power transistor via a control signal supplied to the control electrode so as to control the on and off state of the power transistor; and a series circuit comprising a semiconductor switching element and a capacitor, the series circuit being coupled in parallel with the load path and the capacitor providing a supply voltage to the driver circuit, wherein the driver circuit, when the supply voltage falls below a first threshold value, is configured to drive the power transistor via the control signal to create a voltage drop across the load path of the power transistor which is higher than the first threshold value, wherein the first threshold value is greater than a minimum value of the supply voltage required for proper operation of the driver circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A circuit for driving a power transistor having a control electrode and a load path, the circuit comprising:
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a driver circuit configured to control the on and off state of the power transistor via a control signal supplied by the driver circuit to the control electrode; a series circuit comprising a semiconductor switching element and a capacitor, the series circuit being coupled in parallel with the load path and the capacitor providing a supply voltage to power the driver circuit, the driver circuit being configured to drive the power transistor from a completely on state to a partially on state, in the event of the supply voltage falling below a first threshold value, via the control signal such that a voltage drop across the load path of the power transistor is higher than the first threshold value; and a pulse generator configured to impose one or more control pulse onto the control signal when the supply voltage falls below the first threshold value.
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8. A method for driving a power transistor having a control electrode and a load path, a driver circuit for driving the power transistor being supplied by a capacitor which provides a supply voltage to the drive circuit, the method comprising:
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driving the control electrode with the driver circuit in accordance in response an input signal received by the driver circuit via a control signal provided by the driver circuit to the control electrode in such a manner that the power transistor is changed to an on state; driving the control electrode with the drive circuit via the control signal in such a manner to turn the power transistor to only a partially on state so that a voltage drop across the load path of the power transistor is driven higher than a first threshold value when the supply voltage to the driver circuit falls below the first threshold value, wherein the first threshold value is greater than a minimum value of the supply voltage required for proper operation of the driver circuit. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A power circuit comprising:
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a power transistor having a control electrode and a load path; a supply circuit comprising; a driver circuit configured to control the on and off state of a power transistor via a control signal supplied to the control electrode by the driver circuit; and a series circuit comprising a semiconductor switching element and a capacitor, the series circuit being connected in parallel with the load path and the capacitor providing a supply voltage for the driver circuit, the driver circuit, in the event of the supply voltage falling below a first threshold value, configured to drive the power transistor via the control signal in such a manner that a voltage drop across the load path of the power transistor is driven higher than the first threshold value, wherein the first threshold value is greater than a minimum value of the supply voltage required for proper operation of the driver circuit. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A power circuit comprising:
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a power transistor having a control electrode and a load path; a supply circuit comprising; a driver circuit configured to control the on and off state of the power transistor via a control signal supplied to the control electrode by the driver circuit; a series circuit comprising a semiconductor switching element and a capacitor, the series circuit being connected in parallel with the load path and the capacitor providing a supply voltage to power the driver circuit, the driver circuit, if the supply voltage falls below a first threshold value, being configured to drive the power transistor via the control signal so as to turn the power transistor from a completely on state to a partially on state so that a voltage drop across the load path of the power transistor becomes greater than the threshold value; and a pulse generator which is configured to impose one or more control pulses onto the control signal to the control electrode when the supply voltage falls below the first threshold value.
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20. A method comprising:
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providing a power transistor having a control electrode and a load path, a driver circuit for driving the power transistor, and a capacitor to provide a supply voltage to the driver circuit; driving the control electrode via a control signal provided by the driver circuit in response to an input signal received by the driver circuit to drive the power transistor to an on state; and driving the control electrode via the control signal to drive the power transistor in such a manner that a voltage drop across the load path of the power transistor is driven higher than a first threshold value in response to the supply voltage falling below the first threshold value, wherein the first threshold value is greater than a minimum value of the supply voltage required for proper operation of the driver circuit. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification